You’re my people…

Have you ever wanted to do something so badly, but put it off so many times that you almost gave up completely? I mean so badly – with the best of intentions – but you feel like you’ve already failed, so why bother?

“People will think I’m crazy if I do it this late…”
“I doubt anyone even cares about this anymore…”
“It won’t even make a difference at this point…”

That’s been me with my weekly e-news and blog… let’s be honest… for a while now! It’s worse than a relationship I was in several years ago…on again, off again, on again, off again…

Every time I quit, I say I’m going to start back. And every time I DO start back, I quit again when things get busy or when things get difficult. In the last year, I’ve lost friends who I thought would always be beside me, I’ve lost jobs I thought for sure were mine to get, and I’ve lost six family members to death – including my mother. But those are just excuses. One after another after another.

“You cannot cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.”

I’m so grateful for the friends, family members, business associates and Rotarians around the globe who encourage me, support me and remind me to never, ever give up on my dreams and goals. I’ve run into people all across this country who ask, “When are you going to send another one of those great emails? I miss your quotes and stories!”

If you’re reading this today, you are one of those people, you’re “my people,” and I thank you. And I’d like to be one of those people for you in return.

Let’s do this…together…again. Are you with me? Leave me a comment below and let me know how I can encourage you. What do you want to start new or again?

Wisdom from a Cocktail Napkin

“No one changed the world by staying put.”

I don’t know who originally coined that phrase, but I saw it over the weekend on a napkin under my Ginger Ale on a Delta flight from Pittsburgh to Atlanta. Great thought from a company that wants you to travel more, right?

But that quote isn’t just about traveling and seeing the world. It’s about what you do when you get there.

Seeing the world outside of our own environment opens our eyes to new cultures, foods, fashions and beliefs. But it also opens doors to new opportunities to learn and serve.

I’ve been fortunate to visit some amazing parts of the world the past few years, but there are many others still on my “bucket list.”  I admit some are for pure pleasure – Hawaii, Greece, Italy…but others are because I believe one person can change the world by NOT staying put. One day, I’d like to help bring clean water to Ghana with my friend Walter Hughes. One day, I’d like to administer polio vaccines to children in India with my friend Nancy Barbee. One day…

But until then, I will find ways to bring about change in my little corner of the world. To do this, I can’t stay put. And that doesn’t necessarily mean travel. It means being willing to do for others, and to give back more than you receive. It means living every day in “service above self” as we say in Rotary.

It means being a good friend, aunt, daughter, sister, mentor, employee, boss, neighbor or volunteer. By refusing to “stay put,” I can change the world. So can you, if you’re willing.

The future starts today…

Like some of you, I had LOTS of time at home alone this past weekend because of the winter storm (did you know it had a name?? Helena…go figure!)  So that meant lots of time to think, reflect, plan and even brainstorm. I made it a productive weekend, in spite of the fact that I didn’t leave my house for three days!

One quote I stumbled upon over the weekend was by Pope John Paul II.  “The future starts today, not tomorrow.” That really spoke to me Saturday and inspired me to make some serious changes in my life. I can’t really share them with you yet, but as soon as they are in place, I will let you all know. It’s gonna be big. EPIC even! I do ask for your prayers as I continue to work through some details.

What will you start today to change tomorrow? I can’t wait to see what 2017 holds for each of us! Thanks for coming along this ride with me.

Oh one more thing… I have a completely new website to share with you – I’ve been working on it for a few months and it’s finally live! Most of you know I am very active in Rotary… so be sure to visit www.rotarygeek.com to learn more about what I do. You’ll also get to meet some of the amazing Rotarians I meet all over the world in my new blog, Rotary Geek Of The Week! Take a look & let me know what you think?